Picker stick check for looms



Dec. 9, 1941.

Filed Jan. 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E m mm R Q wv h on Nm mm 5 m mm wv nr 9 q ike me E 0 m2 owvov 8 0 Km DERLU ND 7 ATTORN EY Dec. 9, 1941. A. CEDERLUND PICKER STICK CHECK FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'NVENTOR ALBERT CEDERLUND my)? ATTORNEY A. CEDERLUND 2,265,685 PICKER STICK CHECK FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 \NVENTOFL ALBEZ RT CEDERLUND ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PICKER STICK CHECK FOR LGOMS Application January 21, 1941, SerialNo. 375,133

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in picker stick checks for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a picker stick check which is moved to checking position by the picker stick on a picking stroke thereof to be in position to check the shuttle when the latter next enters the shuttle box.

The usual picking mechanism employs a picker stick which is given an inward stroke to propel the shuttle from the shuttle box. Immediately after the picking stroke is completed the picker stick will ordinarily move to its outer position by spring action but may be held slightly in advance of its outermost position if a picker stick check is used. Many picker stick checks rely upon springs to move them to checking position, but in the invention set forth hereinafter I provide a link or the like which connects the picker stick to the checking arm so that the latter will be moved positively to checking position by a force derived from the picker stick. I

It is a further object of my present invention to employ a form of wedge mechanism, such as a screw thread, which acts to increase the frictional resistance to outward motion of the check-' ing arm under influence of the picker stick, and to provide adjusting means for varying the amount of friction which can be opposed to the checking arm.

In multi-shuttle looms it is customary to employ a single box at the weft replenishing end and a. set of shifting shuttle boxes at the opposite end. It is a further purpose of my present invention to provide a type of picker stick check which is usable at both ends of such a loom but wherein the check at the shifting, shuttle box end of the loom has provision for automatically releasing the checking arm near or at the end of the checking stroke so that the picker stick can have an additional outward motion. This additional outward motion is to permit the picker to move away from the shuttle when the shuttle boxes shift without causing the shuttle to be moved endwise by the usual camming action when the shuttle tip moves out of its pocket in vention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.-

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a con-- venient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. l is a front elevation of a loom having my invention applied to both ends thereof,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of Fig. 1 showing the picker stick at the end of the picking stroke on the single box end of the loom,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a detailed end elevation looking in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. l,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged front elevation of the left hand portion of the loom having my invention adapted for use with shiftingshuttle boxes and showing the picker stick in the positions it occupies during a shuttle checking operation,

Fig. 7 is an end'view looking in the direction of arrow 1. Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the part of the structure shown in Fig. 6 and looking inthe direction of arrow 8, Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is 'a detailed horizontal section on "line 99 of Fig. 7, and

Fig. 10 is a detail plan view in the directionof arrow It, Fig. 6, showing the relation of the usual slide picker and shuttle.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, I have shown a loom frame It and a lay L which swings backwardly and forwardly in the loom frame by a well-known mechanism not shown. The layis supported by and swings around a rocker shaft H in the bottom of the loom frame. The right hand end of shaft H is provided with a rocker foot I2 to which apicker stick !3 is pivoted at M. The upper end of the picker stick carries a picker l5 for cooperation with the shuttle Sin the single shuttle box I6 carried by the right hand end of the lay. A sheet metal brace l1 has its upper end secured to the lay as at- I 8 while its lower end is connected as at It] to the rocker The picker stick I3 is normally initsv 'a binder spring 28.

At the left end of the loom the picking mech-' anism is similar to that located at the plain end, the shaft II having a rocker foot 39 to carry a pivot 3I adjustable horizontally in the foot 39 and on which the lower end of the picker stick;

32 is mounted. A sweep stick 33 and lug strap 34 are adjustable vertically along the picker stick by the holder 35 to permit adjustment of the picking stroke.

The left end of the lay is provided with outer and inner guides 31 and 38 for a vertically shift-v ing gang G of shuttle boxes having in the present instance upper and. lower cells 49 and 4|, respectively, for. the accommodation of two weaving shuttles. The; vertical position of the gang G is derived from a box lifter, rod 42 actuated by any approved form of box lifting mechanism not shown. A vertically extending brace 45 formed of sheet metal similar to the brace I! has its upper end secured to the outer or left end of the lay as at 46 while its lower end is attached as at 4! to the rocker foot 39. Each of the cells 49 and 4| at the left hand side of 1 the loom is provided with a binder 49 whichiis plain box toward the shifting boxes on one beat of the loom and a shuttle being picked back to the plain box from the gang G on the next beat of the loom. The usual return springs'48 move the sticks toward outward position after the picking stroke is completed. The boxes forming the gang G may shift after receiving a shuttle from the plain end, in which case there will be a change in operative relationship between the picker 52 and the active shuttle. The upper end of the picker stick 32 drives picker 52 along Ia picker spindle 53 secured to the lay behind the Shifting shuttle boxes. The inner end of the picker will ordinarily have a pocket 54 which receives the outer tip end T of the shuttle as the latter is boxed at the left end of the loom, see Fig. 10. When the shuttles shift vertically the tip of the shuttle engaged with the picker will endeavor to move inwardly and be cammed out of the pocket 54 if the picker is held against outwardmotion, If the active shuttle is held by its binder 49 the box shift will cause damage to the picker'unless the latter is free to move outwardly. 1

In describing my invention I will first set forth its application to the plain end of the loom and then describe the form used at the shifting. shuttle box side. Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, I provide a support 55 secured at 56 to the brace I1 and extend therethrough a bolt 51 the left end of which as viewed in Fig. 4 is provided with screw threads 58. The threads fit into a collar 59 on the left of support 55 and provided with an arcuate slot 69 which receives a clamping bolt 6| tapped into the support. By means of the slot and bolt 6| the angular position of the collar 59 can be adjusted with respect to the support 55 to move the bolt 51 either to the left or right as viewed in Fig. 4, depending upon the direction in which the collar is turned.

Surrounding the bolt 51 and engaging the right hand surface 53 of the support 55 as seen in Fig. 4 is a friction washer which may be made of leather, rubber, or other suitable material. A checking arm 66 located beyond the washer 65 with reference to support 55 is secured to the bolt 51, as by welding, and extends upwardly. to

have formed on the top thereof a curved picker stick engaging shoe 61.. Extending laterally from the lower end of the check arm is a lug 68 carrying an adjustable stop screw 69 for engagement v with the brace I'I.

Setting link 19 is pivoted as at H to the check arm and has the left end thereof provided with a slot I2 in which slides a stud I3 mounted on a sleeve I4 held in vertically adjusted position on the picker stick as at I5. The upper right hand end of the link 19 is provided with a curved surface I6 which is non-concentric with respect to the pivot 1| and curvesupwardly and at increasing distances from the pivot to have en-- gagement with a surface 'II formed on the inner side of brace I'I. x

The form of check shown at the drop'box-end of the loom is set forth more particularly in Figs.

1 and 6 to 9 and includes a support 89 secured to brace 45 at 8I. Support'89 has a laterally extending arm 82'through which extends a bolt 83 the free end of which asshown in Fig. 9 has threads 84 extending through a collar 85. The latter is provided with a slot 86 through which extends a clamping bolt 81 tapped into the arm 82, and collar can be adjusted angularly with respect to the arm 82 for the purpose of effecting motion of the bolt 83 either to the right or the left as viewed in Fig. 9. Surrounding the bolt 83 is a disk 99 of friction material'similar to disk 65 one side of which isin close engagement with a surface 9I on theleft side of arm 82 as seen in Fig. 9. The other Side of the disk engages a checking arm .92 welded or otherwise fixed to the bolt 83 and extending upwardly therefrom. a

A setting link is pivoted as at 96 t'o'the check arm 92 and is slotted as at 91 to receive a stud 99 similar to stud I3 and vertically adjust-- able on picker stick 32. The upper end of the setting link 95 has a curved surface 99 which is directed upwardly and away from the pivot 96 for engagement with the head of a screw I 99- adjustabl toward and from :the surface 99 and mounted on the support 89.

That part of the picker stick check located at the drop box end of th loom which has already been described is similar to the check at the other end, but reference to Fig. 10 suggests the desirability of permitting the picker stick to move outwardly, or to the left, to allow the picker 52 to clear the shuttle tip should the shuttle boxes G. shift.

' In order to accomplish this last named result I pivot a checking shoe I95 on checking arm 92 as at I96 and provide it with a curved surface for engagement with the picker stick 32. The checking shoe I95 has a small arm I 91' from which a stud I98 extends through a guide slot I99 formed in the check arm 92. A lateral extension I I9 of the check arm haspivoted thereto at III the lower end of a release lever N2 the upper end of which carries stud II3 for'engagement with a release screw H4 mounted on the brace 25 and adjustable toward and from the check arm 92. The lower end of arm H2 is extended horizontally as at H5 and is pivoted at H6 to the outer end of a link III. which is located on that side of the check arm 92 opposite the extension I01 of the shoe I05. The other or inner end of link II! is pivoted on the stud I08 which extends through slot I89 from check shoe I05.

When the parts are in position to start a checking stroke they will be as shown in Fig. 8 and a light tension spring I29 connecting the pivots I i i and I08 will lie below the pivot I 56 to hold link I I! against a stop I22 fixed on the check arm 92. Also the stud H3 will be spaced from unlocking screw or abutment H4. In this way the spring I and the parts H5 and I I1, together with the stop I22, constitute a yieldable lock which holds the shoe I65 normally in its checking position. A locking hook I25 carried by the support is positioned for engagement with the stud IE3 when the check arm is returned to its checking position by the picker stick as will be described hereinafter.

The checking operations are essentially the same at both ends of the loom, provision being made to unlock the checking shoe at the drop box end. Assuming that the picker stick at the right hand end of the loom is in a position shown in Fig. 2 which it occupies at the end of a picking stroke, the return spring 48 at the bottom of the stick will move the latter to the right until the stick reaches the full line position shown in Fig. 1. During this return motion of the stick the stud I3 has a relative upward motion in slot I2 and the link II! turns around the pivot II without causing any material angular motion of the checking arm 66 and also moves the surface 15 to the left away from the surface II of the brace I1.

When the stick reaches the full line position in Fig. 1 further motion of it will be arrested by the friction of the check, the return spring not being sufficiently strong to overcome this friction, and the stick will remain in this position until the shuttle again enters the shuttle box I6, at which time the stick will be pushed by the shuttle against the shoe 6'! and the arm 66 will move to the right on a checking stroke to its outermost position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. During this checking stroke the threads 58, being rigid with the check arm 66 will be turned into the collar 59 the effect of which is to draw the check arm against the friction washer 65 to develop 1 an increasing frictional resistance to motion of the picker stick and shuttle. The amount of this resistance can be varied by changing the position of the collar 59 as already described. The picker stick will come to rest when assuming the dotted line position of Fig. 1 and the check arm 66 will be in its outermost position. At the end of the checking stroke the surface I6 on the link 1!] will be near or in actual engagement with the brace II.

When the shuttle is to be picked to the left the picker stick will move from the dotted toward the full line position of Fig. 1 and ultimately reach the position shown in Fig. 2 to complete the picking stroke. During this inward swing of the picker stick the stud 13 will rock link H! in a right hand direction around pivot II the effect of which is to slide the short upper end of link It downwardly along the brace I1 and cause angular motion of the checking arm 66 to the left.

to relieve the friction by turning'the threads 58 in such a direction as will feed the bolt 51 to the right as viewed in Fig. 4. At the end of the picking stroke the stop screw 69 engages the brace i! to determine the final stopping position of the check arm. The arm 66 is thus returned to checking position in readiness for another operation. I prefer to stop the motion of the check arm with the screw 69, although the picker stick moving through a fixed range of action will cause the stud I3 to raise the lower end of link It to substantially the same position on each picking stroke and this action may if desired be relied upon to place the checking arm.

When the check at the drop box end of the loom is in checking position shown at the left of Fig. 1 the spring lock holds the shoe I05 in extended or inmost position as shown in Fig. 8. When the picker stick returns to the full line position in Fig. 6 it will engage the shoe I05 and be held in such position awaiting the arrival of the shuttle. When the shuttle is boxed it acts through the picker 52 to move the stick to the left the effect of which is to cause the check arm 92 to have a checking stroke from the full to the dotted line position seen in Fig. 6. This motion of check arm ,92 turns the threads 84 in collar 35 to cause increasing frictional resistance on the part of washer $3 to motion of the picker stick and shuttle.

The collar 85 will be set so that substantially all of the motion of the shuttle and picker stick will have been absorbed by the time stud H3 strikes the unlocking screw H4 and the remaining motion yet to be arrested will be suflicient to cause rocking of arm H2 relatively to the check arm 92 in a left hand direction as viewed in Fig. 8, thereby moving the link I I! away from the stop I22 and causing the pivot I I6 to move to the opposite side of the axis of spring I20, whereupon the latter will move the parts to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6 to relieve the shoe I05 and draw the latter to retracted position. This last action will leave the shoe I05 substantially in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6 to permit the picker stick to move outwardly a slight distance so that if the shuttle boxes shift the picker can move away from the shuttle point without being damaged. It is to be understood that the releasing of the check shoe IE5 does not require further turning of the check arm 92 and the unlocking can be effected by the expenditure of a small amount of residual energy in the picker stick.

When the shoe Hi5 is unlocked the stud H3 has a right hand motion as viewed in Fig. 6 to ward the resetting hook I25 which is fastened to the brace 45. When the picker stick next has a picking stroke the link 95 will have its lower end' raised by a counter-clockwise rotation around axis 95 to force the surface 99 against the stop screw I fit, thereby moving the check arm 92 inwardly or towardthe right, see Fig. 6. Since the locking mechanism is mounted on and moves with the check arm s2 the stud H3 will eventually engage the resetting hook and. return the lock and the shoe it from the dotted unlocked position to the extended or checking position shown in full lines in Fig. 6. As the picker stick continues on a picking stroke link 95 will continue to rotate and surface 99 will return the check arm. 92 to its checking position with the shoe I65 locked in checking position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a picker stick check wherein the mo tion' of the .picker' stick when propelling a shuttle positively moves a check arm to checking position by action of thelinks and 95 and their curved upper ends. The actual checking is effected by the turning of a screw thread into a fixed collar, the angular position of which can be varied to determine the amount of pressure developedbetween the "check arm and the leather or other friction disk. Itv will also be noted that the picker stick check at the drop box end of the loom is provided with a spring lock which is automatically released by the shuttle and the picker stick at the end of a checking stroke, thereby permitting the stick to move outwardly a slight amount' and relieve the picker of undesirable wear should the shuttle boxes shift. This lock is automatically resetduring the ensuing picking stroke. In both checks the pitch of the threads is small enough to enable the check arms to hold their positions at the end of a checking stroke and there is no tendency on the part of the screws to back away from their collars and exert a force tending to move the picker stick and shuttle toward the loom.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a picker stick check for a loom having a lay carrying a picker stick having picking and return strokes, a support member secured to the lay, a check arm pivoted to the support member, a pair of mutually engaging screw threaded elements one of which is fixed with respect to the support member and the other of which moves with the check arm, friction means located between the check arm and the support member to be subject to difierent degrees of compressive force existing between the check arm and the support member, means to turn the threaded elements relatively to each other in a given direction to lessen the compressing force exerted by the check arm and the support member on the friction means when the picker stick has a picking stroke, the picker stick on the return stroke thereof having the motion thereof resisted by the check arm and causing the latter to move in a direction to cause relativemovement of the threaded elements in the opposite direction opposite to said given direction to increase the compressive force exerted by the check arm and support member on the friction means.

2. In a picker stick check for a loom having a lay carrying a. picker stick having picking and return strokes, a support member secured to the lay, a check arm pivoted on the support member and having a checking stroke whenmoved by the picker stick on a return stroke of the latter, setting means to give said check arma setting stroke in a direction opposite to the checking stroke when the picker stick has a picking stroke, a set of screw threads movable with the check arm, an element fixed with respect to the support member having another set of screw threads to engage the first named screw threads, friction means between the check arm and the support member, the sets of screw threads being so related as to move the check arm away from the support member and friction means when the check arm has a setting stroke, said check arm when having a checking stroke causing relative movement of said sets of screw threads in a direc- .tion to move said check arm toward the fries tion means and support member, and exert an increasing force on the friction means by the check arm and support member as the picker stick approaches the end of its resetting stroke 3. In a picker stick check for a loom having a lay carrying a picker stick having picking and return strokes, a support member secured to the lay, a check arm pivoted on the support member,

two coacting elements having contacting sliding surfaces inclined'with respect to the axis of the check arm and movable relatively to each other, one of said contacting elements being fixed to the check arm and the other element fixed to the support, compressible friction means located between the check arm and the support member, and means to move the check arm in a direction to cause relative movement of the inclined contacting surfaces in a given directionto reduce the force exerted by the check arm and the 'support member on the friction means when the picker stick has a picking stroke, said check arm to be moved by the picker stick when the latter has a return stroke to cause relative movement between said inclined contacting surfaces in a direction opposite to said given direction to increase the force exerted on the friction means by the support member and the check arm.

4. In a picker stick check for a loom havin'g'a lay carrying a picker stick having v picking and return strokes, a support member secured to the lay, a check'arm pivoted on the support member, two coacting elements having contacting sliding surfaces inclined with respect to the axis of the check arm and movable relatively to each other, one of said contacting elements being fixed to the check arm and the other element fixed to the support, compressible friction means located between the check arm and the support member, means to move the check arm in a direction to cause relative movement of the inclined contacting surfaces in a given'direction to reduce the force exerted by the check arm and the support member on the frictionmeans when the picker stick has a picking stroke, said check arm to be moved by the picker stick when the latter has a return stroke to cause relative movement between said'inclined contacting surfaces in a direction opposite to said given direction to increase the force exerted on the friction means by the support member and the check arm, and means to hold one of said elements in any one of a plurality of fixed positions with respect to the part with which it is normally fixed.

5. In a picker stick check for a loom having a lay carrying a picker stick having picking and return strokes, a support member secured to the lay, a check arm, an element extendinglaterally from the check arm through the support member and providing a pivot on the latter for the check arm, said laterally extending element having screw threads thereupon, an internally threaded element fixed with respect to the support member to receive the threads of said laterally extending element, compressible friction stick when the latter has a working stroke to move the screw threads in a given direction to relieve the compressive force exerted by the check arm and support member on the friction means, the check arm when having a checking stroke in the opposite direction caused by the picker stick when the latter has a return stroke causing a motion of the threads in such a direction on the laterally extending element relatively to the internally threaded element as to increase the compressive force exerted by the check arm and support member on the compressible friction means.

6. In a picker stick check for a loom having a lay carrying a picker stick having picking and return strokes, a support mounted on the lay, a checking member pivoted on the support and movable from the starting point to the end of a checking stroke to check the picker stick, a link between the support and picker stick inclined with respect to a horizontal line at the beginning of a picking stroke of the picker stick and 15 having one end connected to the picker stick, and a connection between the checking member and link at a point between the ends of the link and around which the latter is movable toward a horizontal position when the picker stick has a picking stroke, the other end of the link being in force transmitting relation with respect to the support, the picker stick on a picking stroke moving the link toward horizontal position to cause said other end of the link to cooperate with the support and move said connection and checking member toward the starting point of the checking stroke.

ALBERT CEDERLUND. 

